Inbred corn line GH05-60231

ABSTRACT

Broadly this invention provides an invention which is an inbred corn line GH05-60231. The methods for producing a corn plant by crossing the inbred line GH05-60231 are also encompassed by the invention. Additionally, the invention relates to the various parts of inbred GH05-60231 including culturable cells. This invention relates to hybrid corn seeds and plants produced by crossing the inbred line GH05-60231 with at least one other corn line.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is in the field of corn breeding, specifically relatingto an inbred corn line designated GH05-60231. This invention also is inthe field of hybrid maize production employing the present inbred.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The original maize plant was indigenous to the Western Hemisphere. Theplants were weedlike and only through the efforts of early breeders werecultivated crop species developed. The crop cultivated by earlybreeders, like the crop today, could be wind pollinated. The physicaltraits of maize are such that wind pollination results inself-pollination or cross-pollination between plants. Each plant has aseparate male and female flower that contributes to pollination, thetassel and ear, respectively. Natural pollination occurs when windtransfers pollen from tassel to the silks on the corn ears. This type ofpollination has contributed to the wide variation of maize varietiespresent in the Western Hemisphere.

The development of a planned breeding program for maize only occurred inthe last century. A large part of the development of the maize productinto a profitable agricultural crop was due to the work done by landgrant colleges. Originally, maize was an open pollinated variety havingheterogeneous genotypes. The maize farmer selected uniform ears from theyield of these genotypes and preserved them for planting the nextseason. The result was a field of maize plants that were segregating fora variety of traits. This type of maize selection led to, at most,incremental increases in seed yield.

Large increases in seed yield were due to the work done by land grantcolleges that resulted in the development of numerous hybrid cornvarieties in planned breeding programs. Hybrids were developed byselecting corn lines and selfing these lines for several generations todevelop homozygous pure inbred lines. One selected inbred line wascrossed with another selected inbred line to produce hybrid progeny(F1). The resulting hybrids, due to heterosis, are robust and vigorousplants. Inbreds on the other hand are mostly homozygous. Thishomozygosity renders the inbred lines less vigorous. Inbred seed can bedifficult to produce since the inbreeding process in corn linesdecreases the vigor. However, when two inbred lines are crossed, thehybrid plant evidences greatly increased vigor and seed yield comparedto open pollinated, segregating maize plants. An important consequenceof the homozygosity and the homogenity of the inbred maize lines is thatall hybrid seed produced from any cross of two such elite lines will bethe same hybrid seed and make the same hybrid plant. Thus the use ofinbreds makes hybrid seed which can be reproduced readily. The hybridplant in contrast does not produce hybrid seed that is readilyreproducible. The seed on a hybrid plant is segregating for traits.

The ultimate objective of the commercial maize seed companies is toproduce high yielding, agronomically sound plants that perform well incertain regions or areas of the Corn Belt. To produce these types ofhybrids, the companies must develop inbreds, which carry needed traitsinto the hybrid combination. Hybrids are not often uniformly adapted forthe entire Corn Belt, but most often are specifically adapted forregions of the Corn Belt. Northern regions of the Corn Belt requireshorter season hybrids than do southern regions of the Corn Belt.Hybrids that grow well in Colorado and Nebraska soils may not flourishin richer Illinois and Iowa soil. Thus, a variety of major agronomictraits are important in hybrid combination for the various Corn Beltregions, and have an impact on hybrid performance.

Inbred line development and hybrid testing have been emphasized in thepast half-century in commercial maize production as a means to increasehybrid performance. Inbred development is usually done by pedigreeselection. Pedigree selection can be selection in an F₂ populationproduced from a planned cross of two genotypes (often elite inbredlines), or selection of progeny of synthetic varieties, open pollinated,composite, or backcrossed populations. This type of selection iseffective for highly inheritable traits, but other traits, for example,yield requires replicated test crosses at a variety of stages foraccurate selection.

Maize breeders select for a variety of traits in inbreds that impacthybrid performance along with selecting for acceptable parental traits.Such traits include: yield potential in hybrid combination; dry down;maturity; grain moisture at harvest; greensnap; resistance to rootlodging; resistance to stalk lodging; grain quality; disease and insectresistance; ear and plant height. Additionally, Hybrid performance willdiffer in different soil types such as low levels of organic matter,clay, sand, black, high pH, low pH; or in different environments such aswet environments, drought environments, and no tillage conditions. Thesetraits appear to be governed by a complex genetic system that makesselection and breeding of an inbred line extremely difficult. Even if aninbred in hybrid combination has excellent yield (a desiredcharacteristic), it may not be useful because it fails to haveacceptable parental traits such as seed yield, seed size, pollenproduction, good silks, plant height, etc.

To illustrate the difficulty of breeding and developing inbred lines,the following example is given. Two inbreds compared for similarity of29 traits differed significantly for 18 traits between the two lines. If18 simply inherited single gene traits were polymorphic with genefrequencies of 0.5 in the parental lines, and assuming independentsegregation (as would essentially be the case if each trait resided on adifferent chromosome arm), then the specific combination of these traitsas embodied in an inbred would only be expected to become fixed at arate of one in 262,144 possible homozygous genetic combinations.Selection of the specific inbred combination is also influenced by thespecific selection environment on many of these 18 traits which makesthe probability of obtaining this one inbred even more remote. Inaddition, most traits in the corn genome are regrettably not singledominant genes but are multi-genetic with additive gene action notdominant gene action. Thus, the general procedure of producing a nonsegregating F₁ generation and self pollinating to produce a F₂generation that segregates for traits and selecting progeny with thevisual traits desired does not easily lead to a useful inbred. Greatcare and breeder expertise must be used in selection of breedingmaterial to continue to increase yield and the agronomics of inbreds andresultant commercial hybrids.

Certain regions of the Corn Belt have specific difficulties that otherregions may not have. Thus the hybrids developed from the inbreds haveto have traits that overcome or at least minimize these regional growingproblems. Examples of these problems include in the eastern corn beltGray Leaf Spot, in the north cool temperatures during seedlingemergence, in the Nebraska region CLN (corn Lethal necrosis and in thewest soil that has excessively high pH levels. The industry oftentargets inbreds that address these issues specifically forming nicheproducts. However, the aim of most large seed producers is to provide anumber of traits to each inbred so that the corresponding hybrid canuseful in a broader regions of the Corn Belt. The new biotechnologytechniques such as Microsatellites, RFLPs, RAPDs and the like haveprovided breeders with additional tools to accomplish these goals.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to an inbred corn line GH05-60231.Specifically, this invention relates to plants and seeds of this line.Additionally, this relates to a method of producing from this inbred,hybrid seed corn and hybrid plants with seeds from such hybrid seed.More particularly, this invention relates to the unique combination oftraits that combine in corn line GH05-60231.

Generally then, broadly the present invention includes an inbred cornseed designated GH05-60231. This seed produces a corn plant.

The invention also includes the tissue culture of regenerable cells ofGH05-60231 wherein the cells of the tissue culture regenerates plantscapable of expressing the genotype of GH05-60231. The tissue culture isselected from the group consisting of leaves, pollen, embryos, roots,root tips, guard cells, ovule, seeds, anthers, silk, flowers, kernels,ears, cobs, husks and stalks, cells and protoplasts thereof. The cornplant regenerated from GH05-60231 or any part thereof is included in thepresent invention. The present invention includes regenerated cornplants that are capable of expressing GH05-60231's genotype, phenotypeor mutants or variants thereof.

The invention extends to hybrid seed produced by planting, inpollinating proximity which includes using preserved maize pollen asexplained in U.S. Pat. No. 5,596,838 to Greaves, seeds of corn inbredlines GH05-60231 and another inbred line if preserved pollen is notused; cultivating corn plants resulting from said planting; preventingpollen production by the plants of one of the inbred lines if two areemployed; allowing cross pollination to occur between said inbred lines;and harvesting seeds produced on plants of the selected inbred. Thehybrid seed produced by hybrid combination of plants of inbred corn seeddesignated GH05-60231 and plants of another inbred line are apart of thepresent invention. This inventions scope covers hybrid plants and theplant parts including the grain and pollen grown from this hybrid seed.

The invention further includes a method of hybrid F1 production. A firstgeneration (F1) hybrid corn plant produced by the process of plantingseeds of corn inbred line GH05-60231; cultivating corn plants resultingfrom said planting; permitting pollen from another inbred line to crosspollinate inbred line GH05-60231; harvesting seeds produced on plants ofthe inbred; and growing a harvested seed are part of the method of thisinvention.

Likewise included is a first generation (F1) hybrid corn plant producedby the process of planting seeds of corn inbred line GH05-60231;cultivating corn plants resulting from said planting; permitting pollenfrom inbred line GH05-60231 to cross pollinate another inbred line;harvesting seeds produced on plants of the inbred; and growing a plantfrom such a harvested seed.

The inbred corn line GH05-60231 and at least one transgenic gene adaptedto give GH05-60231 additional and/or altered phenotypic traits arewithin the scope of the invention. Such transgenes are usuallyassociated with regulatory elements (promoters, enhancers, terminatorsand the like). Presently, trangenes provide the invention with traitssuch as insect resistance, herbicide resistance, disease resistanceincreased or deceased starch or sugars or oils, increased or decreasedlife cycle or other altered trait.

The present invention includes inbred corn line GH05-60231 and at leastone transgenic gene adapted to give GH05-60231 modified starch traits.Furthermore this invention includes the inbred corn line GH05-60231 andat least one mutant gene adapted to give modified starch, acid or oiltraits. The present invention includes the inbred corn line GH05-60231and at least one transgenic gene selected from the group consisting of:bacillus thuringiensis, the bar or pat gene encoding Phosphinothricinacetyl Transferase, Gdha gene, EPSP synthase gene, low phytic acidproducing gene, and zein. The inbred corn line GH05-60231 and at leastone transgenic gene useful as a selectable marker or a screenable markerare covered by the present invention.

A tissue culture of the regenerable cells of hybrid plants produced withuse of GH05-60231 genetic material is covered by this invention. Atissue culture of the regenerable cells of the corn plant produced bythe method described above are also included.

DEFINITIONS

In the description and examples, which follow, a number of terms areused. In order to provide a clear and consistent understanding of thespecifications and claims, including the scope to be given such terms,the following definitions are provided.

BL MOIST

The moisture percentage of the grain at black layer, i.e., when 50% ofthe plants per plot have reached physiological maturity.

COLD GERM

Cold Germ is a measurement of seed germination under cold soilconditions. Data is reported as percent of seed germinating.

COLOR TRAITS

Anther color is yellow; if any other color is shown it is recorded asOther. Kernel crown color is white, yellow, orange; if any other coloris shown then the color is indicated as Other. Glume ring color islisted as Red/Purple; if any other color is shown or if the ring coloris inconsistent then Other/Absent is recorded. Brace Root Color islisted as Green, Reddish, Purplish; if any other color is shown or ifthe color is inconsistent then Other is recorded.ECB

European corn borer is a maize eating insect. ECBI is the first broodgeneration of European corn borers. ECB II is the second generation ofEuropean corn borers. ECBI is a rating of leaf damage. The ECB II (ECB2)rating is based upon tunneling. For all Entomology ratings, the highernumber is best (1=little or no resistance, 9=highly resistant). Thescale is slightly different for Ear Rating, which is taken on a 1-4basis. This is a rating of corn borer feeding on the ear. A 1 representsfeeding over the entire ear, while a 4 represents no observable feedingon the ear.

EMERGE (EMG)

The number of emerged plants per plot (planted at the same seedlingrate) collected when plants have two fully developed leaves.

GI

This is a selection index that provides a single quantitative measure ofthe worth of a hybrid based on four traits. FI is a very similar indexwhich weights yield less than GI. In GI yield is the primary traitcontributing to index values. The GI value is calculated by combiningstalk lodging, root lodging, yield and dropped ears according to theattached mathematical formula:GI=100+0.5(YLD)−0.9(%STALK LODGE)−0.9(%ROOT LODGE)−2.7(%DROPPED EAR)GLS

Gray Leaf Spot (Cercospora Zeae) disease rating. This is rated on a 1-9scale with a “1” being very susceptible, and a “9” being veryresistant.*

GW

Gross' Wilt (Corynebacterium nebraskense). This is rated on a 1-9 scalewith a “1” being very susceptible, and a “9” being very resistant.*

HEATP10

The number of Growing Degree Units (GDU's) or heat units required for aninbred line or hybrid to have approximately 10 percent of the plantsshedding pollen. This trait is measured from the time of planting.Growing Degree Units are calculated by the Barger Method where the GDU'sfor a 24 hour period are:

${GDU} = {\frac{\left( {{{Max}\mspace{14mu}{{Temp}\left( {{^\circ}\; F} \right)}} + {{Min}\mspace{14mu}{{Temp}\left( {{^\circ}\; F} \right)}}} \right)}{2} - 50}$The highest maximum temperature used is 86° F. and the lowest minimumtemperature used is 50° F. For each inbred or hybrid it takes a certainnumber of GDU's to reach various stages of plant development.HEATBL

The number of GDU's after planting when approximately 50 percent of theinbred or hybrid plants in a plot have grain that has reachedphysiological maturity (black layer).

HEATPEEK

The number of GDU's after planting of an inbred when approximately 50percent of the plants show visible tassel extension.

HEATP50 or HTP50

The number of GDU's required for an inbred or hybrid to haveapproximately 50 percent of the plants shedding pollen. Growing DegreeUnits are calculated by the Barger Method as shown in the HEATP10definition.

HEATP90

The number of GDU's accumulated from planting when the last 100 percentof plants in an inbred or hybrid are still shedding enough viable pollenfor pollination to occur. Growing Degree Units are calculated by theBarger Method as shown in the HEATP10 definition.

HEATS10

The number of GDU's required for an inbred or hybrid to haveapproximately 10 percent of the plants with silk emergence of at least0.5 inches. Growing Degree Units are calculated by the Barger Method asshown in the HEATP10 definition.

HEATS50 or HTS50

The number of GDU's required for an inbred or hybrid to haveapproximately 50 percent of the plants with silk emergence of at least0.5 inches. Growing Degree Units are calculated by the Barger Method asshown in the HEATP10 definition.

HEATS90

The number of GDU's required for an inbred or hybrid to haveapproximately 90 percent of the plants with silk emergence of at least0.5 inches. Growing Degree Units are calculated by the Barger Method asshown in the HEATP10 definition.

MDMV_(A)

Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus strain A. The corn is rated on a 1-9 scale witha “1” being very susceptible, and a “9” being very resistant.*

MDMV_(B)

Maize Dwarf Mosaic Virus strain B. This is rated on a 1-9 scale with a“1” being very susceptible and a “9” being very resistant.*

MOISTURE

The average percentage grain moisture of an inbred or hybrid at harvesttime.

NLB

Northern Leaf Blight (Exserohilum turcicum) disease rating. This israted on a 1-9 scale with a “1” being very susceptible, and a “9” beingvery resistant.*

PCT TILLER or TILLER RATING

The total number of tillers per plot divided by the total number ofplants per plot.

PLANT

This term includes the entire plant and its plant cells, plantprotoplasts made from its cells, plant cell tissue cultures from whichcorn plants can be regenerated, plant calli, plant clumps, and plantcells that are intact in plants or parts of plants, such as embryos,pollen, flowers, kernels, ears, cobs, leaves, husks, stalks, roots, roottips, anthers, silk and the like, and this term also includes anymutated gene, transgenic DNA or (RNA) or portion thereof that have beenintroduced into the plant by whatever method.

PLANT HEIGHT (PLTHT) (PHT)

The distance in centimeters from ground level to the base of the tasselpeduncle.

PLANT INTEGRITY (PLTINT) or (INT)

The level of plant integrity on a scale of 1-9 with 9 evidencing thetrait most strongly: 1-2.9 ratings are low plant integrity, 3-5.9ratings are intermediate plant integrity, and 6-9 ratings are stronglyevidencing plant integrity.

POPULATION (POP)

The plant population.

RM

Predicted relative maturity based on the moisture percentage of thegrain at harvest. This rating is based on known set of checks andutilizes standard linear regression analyses and is referred to as theMinnesota Relative Maturity Rating System.

SHED

The volume of pollen shed by the male flower rated on a 1-5 scale wherea “1” is a very light pollen shedder, a “2.5” is a moderate shedder, anda “5” is a very heavy shedder.

SLB Southern Leaf Blight (Bipolaris maydis) disease rating. This israted on a 1-9 scale with a “1” being very susceptible, and a “9” beingvery resistant.*

STAYGREEN (SGN)

The level of staygreen of the plant on a scale of 1-9 with 9 evidencingthe trait most strongly: 1-2.9 ratings are low staygreen, 3-5.9 ratingsare intermediate staygreen, and 6-9 ratings are strongly evidencingstaygreen.

TWT

The measure of the weight of grain in pounds for a one bushel volumeadjusted for percent grain moisture.

VIGOR (VIG)

Visual rating of 1 to 9 made 2-3 weeks post-emergence where a “1”indicates very poor early plant development, and a “9” indicatessuperior plant development.

WARM GERM

A measurement of seed germination under ideal (warm, moist) conditions.Data is reported as percent of seeds germinating.

YIELD (YLD)

Actual yield of grain at harvest adjusted to 15.5% moisture.Measurements are reported in bushels per acre.

% DROPPED EARS (DE)

The number of plants per plot, which dropped their primary ear, dividedby the total number of plants per plot.

% ROOT LODGE (RL)

Percentage of plants per plot leaning more that 30 degrees from verticaldivided by total plants per plot.

% STALK LODGE (SL)

Percentage of plants per plot with the stalk broken below the primaryear node divided by the total plants per plot.

% CULL

Percentage of seed that passes through a 16/64 inch screen or will notpass through a 25/64 inch screen. *Resistant—on a scale of 1-9 with 9evidencing the trait most strongly: 1-2.9 ratings are susceptible, 3-5.9ratings are intermediate, and 6-9 ratings are resistant.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

GH05-60231 has outstanding vigor for an inbred. The inbred toleratesheat well. This inbred fills its ear even in high heat summers.GH05-60231 shows acceptable germination and does better when the earlyseason conditions are not extremely wet. The inbred carries some diseasetolerance.

The inbred has shown uniformity and stability within the limits ofenvironmental influence for all the traits as described in the VarietyDescription Information (Table 1) that follows.

The inbred has been self-pollinated for a sufficient number ofgenerations to give inbred uniformity. During plant selection in eachgeneration, the uniformity of plant type was selected to ensurehomozygosity and phenotypic stability. The line has been increased inisolated farmland environments with data on uniformity and agronomictraits being observed to assure uniformity and stability. No varianttraits have been observed or are expected in GH05-60231.

The best method of producing the invention, GH05-60231 which issubstantially homozygous, is by planting the seed of GH05-60231 which issubstantially homozygous and self-pollinating or sib pollinating theresultant plant in an isolated environment, and harvesting the resultantseed.

TABLE 1 GH05-60231 VARIETY DESCRIPTION INFORMATION #1 Type: Dent #2Region where developed in the U.S.A. Northcentral #3 Maturity Days HeatUnits 71 1187.0 from emergence to 50% of plants in silk 72 1203.5 fromemergence to 50% plants in pollen  2 0033.0 from 10% to 90% pollen shed#4 Plant Traits Plant height 264.7 cm Ear height 110.5 cm Length of topear internode 15.1 cm Average no. of ears per stalk 1.4 Anthocyanin ofbrace roots Moderate #5 Leaf Traits Width of ear node leaf 9.4 cm Lengthof ear node leaf 81.8 cm No. of leaves above tope ear 6 Degrees of leafangle 19 Leaf color Dark green Leaf sheath pubescence 7* Marginal waves5** Longitudinal creases 6** #6 Tassel Traits No. of primary lateralbranches 6 Branch angle from central spike 30 Tassel length 37.9 cmPollen shed 6*** Anther Color Salmon Glume Ring Color Medium green Barglumes absent #7a Ear (unhusked) Traits Silk Color Pale purple Freshhusk color Medium green Dry husk color Buff Position of ear at dry huskstage Upright Husk tightness 5**** Husk extension Medium #7b Ear(husked) Traits Ear length 16.2 cm Ear diameter at mi 44.8 mm Ear weight161.6 gm No. of kernel rows 18 Kernel rows Distinct Row alignmentStraight Shank length 6.3 cm Ear taper Average #8 Kernel (dried) Kernellength 11.6 mm Kernel width 7.1 mm Kernel thickness 4.5 mm % roundkernels 21.1 Aleurone color pattern Homozygous Aleruone color patternColorless Hard endosperm color Yellow Endosperm type normal starchWeight per 100 kernels 27.2 gm #9 Cob Diameter at mid-point 25.9 mm Cobcolor White *scale from 1 = none to 9 = like peach fuzz **scale from1-none to 9-many ***scale from 0 = male sterile to 9 = heavy shed****scale from 1 = very loose to 9 = very tight

The comparable inbred to GH05-60231 is W60028.

The data provided above is often a color. The Munsell code is areference book of color, which is known and used in the industry and bypersons with ordinary skill in the art of plant breeding.

Inbred and Hybrid Performance of GH05-60231

The traits and characteristics of inbred corn line GH05-60231 are listedto compare with other inbreds and/or in hybrid combinations. TheGH05-60231 data shows the characteristics and traits of importance,giving a snapshot of GH05-60231 in these specific environments.

TABLE 2A PAIRED INBRED COMPARISON DATA The following traits are highlysignificant at the 1% level (Student's t-Test procedure) for eachlocation analysis as well as the combined location analysis: t-teststatistics, (Most closely resembles). GH05-60231 W60028 Mean Trait Loc NMean SD1 N Mean SD2 Diff t-Value Prob Shank Length 1 15 6.3 0.5 15 8.20.7 −1.9 −8.26 0.0000 Shank Length 2 15 6.3 0.9 15 8.6 1.4 −2.3 −5.380.0000 Shank Length Avg 30 6.3 0.7 30 8.4 1.1 −2.1 −8.71 0.0000 KernelLength 1 15 11.8 0.4 15 12.4 0.6 −0.6 −3.26 0.0029 Kernel Length 2 1511.3 0.4 15 11.8 0.5 −0.5 −2.95 0.0063 Kernel Length Avg 30 11.6 0.5 3012.1 0.6 −0.5 −3.89 0.0003 Kernel Thickness 1 15 4.6 0.2 15 4.1 0.2 0.45.30 0.0000 Kernel Thickness 2 15 4.4 0.2 15 4.2 0.2 0.2 3.04 0.0051Kernel Thickness Avg 30 4.5 0.2 30 4.2 0.2 0.3 5.87 0.0000 GH05-60231most closely resembles W60028 The following color traits are uniquelydifferent from the check: GH05-60231 W60028 Trait Number Value ColorMunsell Code Number Value Color Munsell Code Anther Color 9 Salmon10R6/8 22 Tan 10R7/4 The following traits were observed to be differentbetween the inbred and the standard check: H60231 W60028 Number NumberTrait Value Description Value Description Leaf Marginal Waves 5 1 = noneto 9 = many 8 1 = none to 9 = many Leaf Longitudinal Creases 6 1 = noneto 9 = many 4 1 = none to 9 = many Ear Taper 2 Average 1 SlightTable 2b shows a comparison between GH05-60231 and a comparable inbredJCR503. GH05-60231 has significantly short tassel length, smaller eardiameter, and cob diameter.

TABLE 2A PAIRED INBRED COMPARISON DATA The following traits are highlysignificant at the 1% level (Student's t-Test procedure): Tassel Ear EarShank Kernel % round Cob Inbreds length length diameter length widthkernels diameter GH05- 37.9 16.2 44.8 6.3 7.1 21.1 25.9 60231 JCR50343.8 14.7 48.1 9.1 7.9 32.8 28.9 # Expts 30 30 30 30 30 30 30 Mean Diff−5.9 1.6 −3.3 −2.8 −0.9 −11.7 −3.0 Prob 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.00000.0000 0.0000 0.0000 The following traits were observed to be differentbetween the inbred and the check: Inbreds Brace root anthocyanin LeafLongitudinal creases Ear taper GH05- moderate 6* average 60231 JCR503faint 2* slight

TABLE 3 PAIRED HYBRID COMPARISON DATA Yield Stalk Root Drop Green TestHybrid Year Reps Yield MST Ldg Ldg Ears Snap PHT EHT Weight GH05-60231/2004 37 203.9 23.4 3.8 6.2 0.5 0.5 117 49 54.2 Hybrid 1 BT P31N28/ 200437 207.1 23.8 4.9 3.0 0.3 1.7 116 48 55.3 PIONEER P33P67/ 2004 37 204.321.0 808 3.7 0.0 0.5 117 50 56.5 PIONEER GH05- 2004 8 194.7 25.7 3.1 1.03.5 56.1 60231/hybrid 2 P33R77/ 2004 8 191.2 22.5 10.7 0.0 9.5 56.6PIONEER GH05- 2004 9 178.9 22.8 2.4 1.5 0.0 0.0 102 44 53.1 60231/hybrid3 P35Y54/ 2004 9 213.6 20.7 1.1 3.8 0.0 0.0 99 44 52.8 PIONEER

Table 3 shows the inbred GH05-60231 in 3 hybrid combinations incomparison with commercial hybrids. When in this hybrid combination ofhybrid 1 the commercial line shows better yield but more moisture. Inthe second comparision with 8 repetitions the hybrid 2 made with theinbred of the present invention shows better yield though highermoisture. In the third comparison the commercial line has better yieldand moisture.

This invention also is directed to methods for producing a corn plant bycrossing a first parent corn plant with a second parent corn plantwherein the first or second parent corn plant is an inbred corn plantfrom the line GH05-60231. Further, both first and second parent cornplants can come from the inbred corn line GH05-60231 which produces aself of the inbred invention. The present invention can be employed in avariety of breeding methods which can be selected depending on the modeof reproduction, the trait, and the condition of the germplasm. Thus,any breeding methods using the inbred corn line GH05-60231 are part ofthis invention: selfing, backcrosses, hybrid production, crosses topopulations, haploid by such old and known methods of using stockmaterial that induces haploids and anther culturing and the like.

All plants and plant cells produced using inbred corn line GH05-60231are within the scope of this invention. The invention encompasses theinbred corn line used in crosses with other, different, corn inbreds toproduce (Fl) corn hybrid seeds and hybrid plants and the grain producedon the hybrid plant. This invention includes plant and plant cells,which upon growth and differentiation produce corn plants having thephysiological and morphological characteristics of the inbred lineGH05-60231.

Additionally, this maize can, within the scope of the invention,contain: a mutant gene such as, but not limited to, the sugary 1 orshrunken 1 or waxy or AE or imazethapyr tolerant (IT or IR™) mutantgene; or transgenic genes such as but not limited to insect resistantgenes such as Corn Rootworm gene, Bacillus thuringiensis (Cry genes), orherbicide resistant genes such as Pat gene or Bar gene, EPSP, or diseaseresistant genes such as the Mosaic virus resistant gene, etc., or traitaltering genes such as flowering genes, oil modifying genes, senescencegenes and the like. The methods and techniques for inserting, orproducing and/or identifying a mutation or a transgene into the presentinvention through breeding, transformation, or mutating are well knownand understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

Various techniques for breeding and moving or altering genetic materialwithin or into the present invention (whether it is an inbred or inhybrid combination) are also known to those skilled in the art. Thesetechniques to list only a few are anther culturing, haploid production,(stock six is a method that has been in use for thirty years and is wellknown to those with skill in the art), transformation, irradiation toproduce mutations, chemical or biological mutation agents and a host ofother methods are within the scope of the invention. All parts of theGH05-60231 plant including its plant cells produced using the inbredcorn line are within the scope of this invention. The term transgenicplant refers to plants having genetic sequences, which are introducedinto the genome of a plant by a transformation method and the progenythereof. Transformation methods are means for integrating new geneticcoding sequences into the plant's genome by the incorporation of thesesequences into a plant through man's assistance, but not by breedingpractices. The transgene once introduced into plant material andintegrated stably can be moved into other germplasm by standard breedingpractices.

Though there are a large number of known methods to transform plants,certain types of plants are more amenable to transformation than areothers. Transformation of dicots is usually achievable for example,tobacco is a readily transformable plant. Monocots can present sometransformation challenges, however, the basic steps of transformingplants monocots have been known in the art for about 15 years. The mostcommon method of maize transformation is referred to as gunning ormicroprojectile bombardment though other methods can be used. Theprocess employs small gold-coated particles coated with DNA which areshot into the transformable material. Detailed techniques for gunningDNA into cells, tissue, callus, embryos, and the like are well known inthe prior art. One example of steps that can be involved in monocottransformation are concisely outlined in U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,956“Fertile Transgenic Zea mays Plants Comprising Heterologous DNA EncodingBacillus Thuringiensis Endotoxin” issued Jan. 16, 1996 and also in U.S.Pat. No. 5,489,520 “Process of Producing Fertile Zea mays Plants andProgeny Comprising a Gene Encoding Phosphinothricin Acetyl Transferase”issued Feb. 6, 1996.

Plant cells such as maize can be transformed not only by the use of agunning device but also by a number of different techniques. Some ofthese techniques include maize pollen transformation (See University ofToledo 1993 U.S. Pat. No. 5,177,010); Whiskers technology (See U.S. Pat.Nos. 5,464,765 and 5,302,523); electroporation; PEG on Maize;Agrobacterium (See 1996 article on transformation of maize cells inNature Biotechnology, Volume 14, June 1996) along with numerous othermethods which may have slightly lower efficiency rates. Some of thesemethods require specific types of cells and other methods can bepracticed on any number of cell types.

The use of pollen, cotyledons, zygotic embryos, meristems and ovum asthe target issue can eliminate the need for extensive tissue culturework. Generally, cells derived from meristematic tissue are useful. Themethod of transformation of meristematic cells of cereal is taught inthe PCT application WO96/04392. Any number of various cell lines,tissues, calli and plant parts can and have been transformed by thosehaving knowledge in the art. Methods of preparing callus or protoplastsfrom various plants are well known in the art and specific methods aredetailed in patents and references used by those skilled in the art.Cultures can be initiated from most of the above-identified tissue. Theonly true requirement of the transforming plant material is that it canform a transformed plant.

The DNA used for transformation of these plants clearly may be circular,linear, and double or single stranded. Usually, the DNA is in the formof a plasmid. The plasmid usually contains regulatory and/or targetingsequences which assists the expression of the gene in the plant. Themethods of forming plasmids for transformation are known in the art.Plasmid components can include such items as: leader sequences, transitpolypeptides, promoters, terminators, genes, introns, marker genes, etc.The structures of the gene orientations can be sense, antisense, partialantisense, or partial sense: multiple gene copies can be used. Thetransgenic gene can come from various non-plant genes (such as;bacteria, yeast, animals, and viruses) along with being from plants.

The regulatory promoters employed can be constitutive such as CaMv35S(usually for dicots) and polyubiquitin for monocots or tissue specificpromoters such as CAB promoters, MR7 described in U.S. Pat. No.5,837,848, etc. The prior art promoters, includes but is not limited to,octopine synthase, nopaline synthase, CaMv19S, mannopine synthase. Theseregulatory sequences can be combined with introns, terminators,enhancers, leader sequences and the like in the material used fortransformation.

The isolated DNA is then transformed into the plant. After thetransformation of the plant material is complete, the next step isidentifying the cells or material, which has been transformed. In somecases, a screenable marker is employed such as the beta-glucuronidasegene of the uidA locus of E. coli. Then, the transformed cellsexpressing the colored protein are selected. In many cases, a selectablemarker identifies the transformed material. The putatively transformedmaterial is exposed to a toxic agent at varying concentrations. Thecells not transformed with the selectable marker, which providesresistance to this toxic agent, die. Cells or tissues containing theresistant selectable marker generally proliferate. It has been notedthat although selectable markers protect the cells from some of thetoxic affects of the herbicide or antibiotic, the cells may still beslightly affected by the toxic agent by having slower growth rates. Ifthe transformed material was cell lines then these lines are regeneratedinto plants. The cells' lines are treated to induce tissuedifferentiation. Methods of regeneration of cellular maize material arewell known in the art.

A deposit of at least 2500 seeds of this invention will be maintained bySyngenta Seeds, Inc., 2369 330th Street, Slater, Iowa 50244. Access tothis deposit will be available during the pendency of this applicationto the Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks and persons determined bythe Commissioner to be entitled thereto upon request. All restrictionson availability to the public of such material will be removed uponissuance of a granted patent of this application by depositing at least2500 seeds of this invention at the American Type Culture Collection(ATCC), at 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va. 20110. The date ofdeposit was Dec. 5, 2008. The ATCC number of the deposit is PTA-9647 andon Dec. 22, 2008 the deposit was found viable when tested. The depositof at least 2500 seeds will be from the same inbred seed taken from thedeposit maintained by Syngenta Seeds, Inc. The ATCC deposit will bemaintained in that depository, which is a public depository, for aperiod of 30 years, or 5 years after the last request, or for theenforceable life of the patent, whichever is longer, and will bereplaced if it becomes nonviable during that period.

Additional public information on some ZS designations may be availablefrom the PVP Office, a division of the US Government.

Accordingly, the present invention has been described with some degreeof particularity directed to the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention. It should be appreciated, though, that the present inventionis defined by the following claims construed in light of the prior artso that modifications or changes may be made to the preferred embodimentof the present invention without departing from the inventive conceptscontained herein.

1. A seed of corn inbred line designated GH05-60231, representative seedof said inbred line having been deposited in the ATCC under accessionnumber PTA-9647.
 2. A corn plant produced by the seed of claim
 1. 3. Atissue culture of regenerable cells of the plant of claim 2, wherein thecells of the tissue culture regenerate plants that express all of thephysiological and morphological characteristics of GH05-60231.
 4. Thetissue culture according to claim 3, wherein the tissue culture isformed from cells of a plant part or protoplasts made from such cells,wherein said plant part is selected from the group consisting of leaves,pollen, embryos, roots, root tips, meristem, ovule, anthem, silk,flowers, kernels, ears, cobs, husks and stalks.
 5. A corn plantregenerated from the tissue culture of claim 3, wherein the plant hasall of the physiological and morphological characteristics of a plant ofinbred line GH05-60231, seed of said line having been deposited underATCC accession number PTA-9647 .
 6. A hybrid seed produced by a methodcomprising the following steps: (a) planting seeds of corn inbred lineGH05-60231, representative seed of which has been deposited in the ATCCunder accession number PTA-9647, and another inbred line, wherein one ofsaid inbred lines are prevented from pollen production, forming aninbred line not releasing pollen; (b) allowing pollination of the inbredline not releasing pollen to occur; and, (c) harvesting seeds producedon the inbred line not releasing pollen.
 7. A hybrid seed produced by amethod comprising crossing the plant of corn inbred line designatedGH05-60231 according to claim 2, with a different plant of anotherinbred line and harvesting the resultant F1 hybrid corn seed.
 8. Ahybrid plant grown from seed of claim
 7. 9. A first generation (F1)hybrid corn plant produced by a method comprising the steps of: (a)planting in pollinating proximity, seeds of corn inbred line GH05-60231,representative seed of which has been deposited in the ATCC underaccession number PTA-9647, and another inbred line; (b) cultivating cornplants resulting from said planting; (c) preventing pollen production byplants of one of the inbred lines, forming an inbred line not releasingpollen; (d) allowing cross-pollination to occur on said inbred line notreleasing pollen; (e) harvesting seed produced on the inbred line notreleasing pollen; and (f) growing the harvested seed.
 10. A tissueculture of regenerable cells of the plant of claim
 8. 11. A tissueculture of regenerable cells of the plant of claim
 9. 12. A method ofproducing a hybrid corn plant produced by using the corn plant accordingto claim 2, produced by seed of corn inbred line designated GH05-60231,a representative sample of seed, which has been deposited in the ATCCunder accession number PTA-9647, the method comprising the followingsteps: (a) planting in pollinating proximity, seeds of corn inbred lineGH05-60231, and an other inbred line; (b) cultivating corn plantsresulting from said planting; (c) preventing pollen release by theplants of one of the inbred lines, the non-pollinating inbred line; (d)allowing cross-pollination to occur between said inbred lines; (e)harvesting seed produced on plants of the non-pollinating inbred line;and (f) growing a harvested seed of step (e).
 13. A hybrid corn plantproduced by the method of claim 12 wherein said other inbred linecomprises a mutant gene selected from the group consisting of: waxy,sugary1, shrunken1, AE (amylose extender), and imazethapyr tolerantmutant genes.
 14. A pollen of a corn plant produced by the seed ofclaim
 1. 15. A corn plant that expresses all of the physiological andmorphological characteristics of GH05-60231, representative seed ofwhich has been deposited in the ATCC under accession number PTA-9647.16. A method of introducing a transgene into a plant of corn inbred lineGH05-60231, the method comprising transforming the corn plant of claim 2with a transgene.
 17. A plant produced according to the method of claim16.
 18. A seed produced from the plant of claim 17, wherein said seedcomprises said transgene.
 19. The seed of claim 18, wherein said seed isa hybrid.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein the transgene confersherbicide resistance.
 21. An herbicide resistant corn plant produced bythe method of claim
 20. 22. The corn plant of claim 21, wherein thetransgene encodes phosphinothricin synthase or EPSPS.
 23. The method ofclaim 16, wherein the transgene confers insect resistance.
 24. An insectresistant corn plant produced by the method of claim
 23. 25. The cornplant of claim 24, wherein the transgene encodes a Bacillusthuringiensis endotoxin.
 26. The method of claim 16, wherein thetransgene confers disease resistance.
 27. A disease resistant corn plantproduced by the method of claim 26.